Platen printing press



Aug. 29, 1944. Y L.R.JOHNSON 2,357,116

PLATEN PRINTING PRESS Filed Apx il 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 as I INVENTOR. y l LAWRENCE mouusou ATTORNEYS Ailg. 29, 1944,

I... R. JOHNSON, v

PLATEN PRINTING PRESS Filed April 16. 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lgggguumum J l I l l I 4 I W? u ll .r nwl L lllllll I |-I| 3 I 3 IIHLHLTW.

, INVENTOR. LAWRENCE-RJOHNSON Y a,

9%,. ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 29, 1944 'PLATEN PRINTING PRESS Cleveland, Ohio, assignor' Lawrence R. Johnson,

to. The Chandler & Price Company, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Cleveland, 7

Application April 16, 1941, Serial No. 388,831

6 Claims.

This invention relates as indicated to platen printing presses, and more particularly to presses of this type which are provided with pneumatic suction devices for feeding sheets to and delivering them from the platen of the press. Suction devices of the aforesaid character usually include oscillatable tubular arms provided with sucker tip assemblies adapted to engage or contact the sheets and valves for periodically breaking the vacuum in the arms and sucker tips when suction is not required.

In order to prevent injury to the type form and other parts of the press in case of a failure of the feeder sucker tips to feed a sheet to the platen or of the delivery sucker tips to seize a sheet it is customary in such cases, pending restoration of the vacuum in the sheet handling means,- to move a throw-off lever into operative position either manually or automatically whereby engagement of the form and platen is prevented. When automatic means, such as that disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,185,440, are provided for operation of the throw-ofi means upon failure of the vacuum, it is additionally desirable to provide means whereby the primary moving parts of the press may likewise be stopped pending arrival of the operator to correct the condition. Unnecessary wear and danger of jamming and damage of moving parts is thus avoided.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide means whereby upon operation of the throw-off lever the oscillation of parts of the press may be automatically brought toa stop.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means whereby the press may then be again started in operation with a minimum loss of energy.

Other objects of this invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings: 7 1

Fig. 1 is a fragmentaryside elevation of a platen printing press embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of such press;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan View of the press;

Fig. 4 is a detail elevational view of a portion of the control operating means of this invention;

Fig. 5 is a top view of such control means; and

Fig. 6 is a more or less diagrammatic view indicating the arrangement of the various suction lines.

A printing press of the Gordon or platen type includes, as best illustrated in Fig.1, a frame I having pivotally mounted thereon as at 2 a bed 3 which is adapted to be oscillated in the usual manner by cam and shaft driving means (not shown).

The main drive shaft 4 of the press carries a flywheel 5 freely rotatably mounted thereon adjacent one end, said flywheel having a pulley 6 and a clutch member 1 secured thereto. A drive belt, not shown, connects such pulley to a motor. A clutch member 8 is keyed to shaft 4 for axial slidable movement relative thereto and a gear 9* is likewise provided, keyed to the shaft for driving the press in a conventional manner. At the other end of shaft 4 is a second flywheel I 0 keyed thereto for rotation therewith. A yoke l l is pivotally mounted'on bracket I2 and oscillatable by means of clutch operating rod I3, a spring [4 serving normally tokeep the two clutch members out of engagement. The other end of rod l3 carries rollers suchas roller l5 bearing on the inclined face of cam [6, such cam being adapted for reciprocation by axial movement of rod ll. The other end of rod H is pivotally connected to arm 18 secured to pivotally mounted vertical shaft l9. Such shaft I9 is provided with a handle 20 for manual operation. It will thus be seen that upon partial rotation of shaft l9 drive shaft 4 of the press may be released from connection with the driving means operatingto rotate pulley 6 and flywheel ,5, without, however,

in any way affecting the rotation of such flywheel.

As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, two arms 21 and 22 are also keyed to shaft l9 adjacent its lower end. Arm 22 is pivotally joined toa rod 23 running to the short arm 24 keyed to the brake operating stub shaft 25. A brake shoe 26v is carried on the end of shaft .25 and adapted to be forced into engagement .with flywheel III by means of an eccentric cam 21, upon rotation of Thus it Will'be seen that when shaft I9 is rotated to throw out the clutch, as above described, rod 23 will likewise be reciprocated by movement of arm 22 to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. to cause application of the brake to flywheel I0 and a resultant stoppage of the press.

Arm 2| which is mounted on shaft I9 at right angles to arm 22 carries an upstanding pin 21. Another vertical shaft 28, mounted adjacent shaft I9 and also provided with handle means 29, carries an arm at the lower end thereof, such arm being provided with a pivotally mounted depending rod 3| which passes horizontally across the front of the press.

The further end of such rod is pivotally connected to the end of an arm 32 operative to hold spring backed plunger 33 in retracted position (see Fig. 6), such plunger also being adapted to be held in retracted position by means of the vacuum in the lines with which the inner end of cylinder 33 communicates. Thus, when the press is operating and the sucker tips of the sheet handling mechanism are seizing the sheets properly, the vacuum will be maintained and plunger 33 held in. Upon failure of the sucker tips to seize a sheet, however, such vacuum is broken and the plunger advances, opening tappet valve 41 and relieving the vacuum in line 34, thereby causing throw-01f lever 45 to be thrown into operation in conventional manner. A double-acting pump P ordinarily serves to maintain the necessary vacuum in the line during operation of the press.

Rod 3| also passes through a slot 35 in bar 36, a nut 31 being threaded on rod 3| to permit of proper adjustment of the elevation of bar 36 relative to arm 2| and pin 21. Bar 36 is provided with a depending tab 38 which is operative to engage pin 21. Such bar extends across the side of the press and is pivotally connected to bell crank 39 of the throw-off mechanism. Such throw-off mechanism is substantially of the type described and illustrated in my above-mentioned Patent, No. 2,185,440 and includes a throw-off saddle 40 connected by means of link M to bell crank lever 42 which is slotted to receive a cam roller 43 on the'end of the adjacent bell crank 39. A link 44 connects the other end of such last-named bell crank'to the end of throw-01f lever 45 adapted to enter into locked engagement with bar 46"upon failure of vacuum in vacuum line 34 in the manner described in my aforesaid patent or by other conventional means.

When it is desired to start the press in operation handle 29 is'turned to move bar 36 to posi-'- tion C (see Fig. 5). In this position plunger 33 is not held in mechanically so that the throw-off will be automatically operated during inking and the like. Handle 20 is then turned to Fig. '3 position to engage the clutch and releas the brake and the press is started. Since tab 38 is not in position to engage pin 21 in the C position, operation of the throw-off does not affect the clutch and brake.

When ready to begin printing, handle 29 is turned to move bar 36 to the A position Where tab 38 again will not engage pin 21 but plunger 33 is held in mechanically through action of rod 3| and .arm 32. The throw-off therefore will not operate automatically if the sucker tips shouldnot seize the sheets properly during the first cycle or two of the press. If desired, as when an operator is in constant attendance, handle 29 may be left in this position and the press controls operated manually. If automatic safety control is desired, however, the parts will be set as indicated in solid line in Fig. 5. When the press is functioning properly handle 29 may be turned to move bar 36 to the B or safety position. Plunger 33 is now no longer held in mechanically but only by the vacuum in the line and upon failure of such vacuum will open valve 41 causing the throw-off to operate as above described. Bar 36 is thereupon reciprocated by movement of the throw-off mechanism and, engaging pin 21, rotates shaft I9. As shaft I9 rotates, arm I8 and rod I! are moved off center and spring I4, acting through rollers I5 on the inclined face of cam I6, completes the movement, further rotating shaft I 9 and disengaging the clutch. The rotation of shaft I9 likewise moves arm 22 and rod 23 to dotted line position (Fig. 5), thus applying the brake. It will be seen, therefore, that when there is a break in the vacuum line, as by failure of the sucker tips to properly seize a sheet, the press is entirely stopped in throw-off position although flywheel 5 is still rotating and conserving energy to be employed when the press is again started.

It is also apparent that handle 29 may be turned to move bar 36 to the C position, where the throw-off will operate automatically upon failure of the vacuum but the clutch and brake will not be affected since tab 38 will not engage 'pin 2'! when bar 36 is reciprocated. The operator thus has a choice of running the press under a variety of conditions to suit the circumstances and may leave the press running; secure in the knowledge that no damage will be incurred in his absence. While the clutch may be on the motor instead of flywheel 5 without affecting'the other advantages of my invention, the provision of the clutch on such flywheel is'advantageous in permitting quick starting of the press even when the drive is taken from a motor of relatively low the vacuum in the sheet horsepower.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may b employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinct 1y claim as my invention:

a 1. In a platen printing press having throw-oil means automatically operative upon failure of handling mechanism, a drive shaft, a flywheel keyed to said shaft, a second flywheel freely rotatably mounted on said shaft, clutch means for connecting said second flywheel in driving engagement with said shaft, means for rotating said means operative upon said first-named flywheel; control means for said clutch comprising a vertically'mounted rotatable shaft, an arm on said vertical shaft, and linkmeans connected to said arm operative upon reciprocation to engage and disengage said clutch; control means for said brake comprising an arm on-said vertica1 shaft and link means connected to said arm operative upon reciprocation brake; another arm on said vertical shaft, link means adapted to engage said last-named arm and operable bysaidthrow-ofi means to rotate said vertical shaft to disengage said clutch and apply said brake; and means for maintaining said last-named link means' out of engagement with said last-named arm, when it is desired to render the brake and clutch control means nonresponsive to functioning of thethrow-oif means.

2. In a platen printingpress having throw-off second flywheel, brake to apply and release said' means automatically operative upon failure of the vacuum in the sheet handling mechanism, driving means for such press, clutch means for engaging and disengaging said driving means, a brake operative to stop the press; control means for said clutch comprising a vertically mounted rotatable shaft, an arm on said vertical shaft, and link means connected to said arm operative upon reciprocation to engage and disengage said clutch; control means for said brake comprising an arm on said vertical shaft and link means connected to said arm operative upon reciprocation to apply and release said brake; another arm on said vertical shaft, link means adapted to engage said last-named arm and operable by said throw-off means to rotate said vertical shaft to disengage said clutch and apply said brake; and means for maintaining said out of engagement with said last-named arm when it is desired to render the brake and clutch control means non-responsive to functioning of the throw-off means.

3. In a platen printing press having throw-off means automatically operative upon failure of the vacuum in the sheet handling mechanism, driving means for such press, clutch means for engaging and disengaging said driving means, a brake operative to stop the press; control means for said clutch comprising a vertically mounted rotatable shaft, an arm on said vertical shaft, and link means connected to said arm operative upon reciprocation to engage and disengage said clutch; control means for said brake comprisingan arm on said vertical shaft and link means connected to said arm operativeupon reciprocation to apply and release said brake; another arm on said vertical shaft, link means adapted to engage said last-named arm and operable by said throw-off means to rotate said vertical shaft to disengage said clutch and apply said brake; means for maintaining said last-named link means out of engagement with said last-named arm when it is desired to render the brake and clutch control functioning of the throw-off means; and means operative to prevent automatic functioning of said throw-off means during the first printing cycles of the press.

4. In a platen printing press having throw-off means normally automatically operative upon failure of the vacuum in the sheet handling mechanism, driving means for said press, clutch means for engaging and disengaging said driving means, a brake operative to stop the press, manually operable means adapted to engage and disengage said clutch and simultaneously release and apply said brake, and manually adjustable one position to interconnect said throw-off means with said clutch and brake, whereby said clutch is disengaged and said brake applied upon operation of said throw-off means, said adjustable means in another position permitting such operation without affecting said clutch and brake.

5. In a platen printing press having throw-off operative upon failure of the vacuum in the sheet handling mechanism, driving means for said press, clutch means for engaging and disengaging said driving means, a brake operative to stop the press, manually operable means adapted to engage and disengage said clutch and simultaneously release and apply said brake, and manually ad ustable means serving in one position to interconnect said throwoff means with said clutch and brake, whereby disengaged and said brake applied said admeans in another position serving to means normally automatically operative upon failure of the vacuum in the sheet handling mechanism, driving means for said press, clutch means for engaging and disengaging said driving means, a brake operative to stop the press, manually operable means adapted to engage and disengage said clutch and simultaneously release and apply said brake, and manually adjustable means serving in one position to interconnect said throwoff means with said clutch and brake, whereby said clutch is disengaged and said brake applied upon operation of said throw-off means, said adjustable means in other positions respectively serving to prevent operation of said throw-off means and to permit such operation without affecting said clutch and brake.

LAW

RENCE R. JOHNSON. 

